The present invention relates to a fastening device for securing panel sections together; more particularly, the invention relates to a fastening device for securing panels against a supporting frame of a particular construction.
The invention finds particular utility in the field of portable exhibit displays of the type generally associated with trade shows, exhibits, and retail and commercial displays. These displays are typically set up to provide a fairly large display surface containing graphics and/or printed material for the purpose of promoting and advertising a particular product or service. In the trade show industry, it is preferable that such displays be made easy to assemble and disassemble and be capable of being carried in portable display cases from place to place.
In any application where the display is not intended to become a permanent fixture at a particular location, it is desirous to provide ease of assembly and disassembly. At the same time, care must be taken to provide the necessary structural strength for such displays; and in the case of very large displays, the strength of the supporting structure and frame becomes a very important factor. Such structures typically have a panel display surface affixed to a supporting frame, wherein the panel display surface is formed in sections, and the sections are individually attachable to the frame structure. The frame structure itself is also typically formed in sections or in a folding or collapsible construction. Alternatively, the supporting frame may be made from an assemblage of component parts which can be easily engaged to construct the frame and disconnected when the frame is to be broken down for storage and/or transport.